Schneider, Judy

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Congressional Research Service ò The Library of CongressCRS Report for CongressReceived through the CRS WebOrder Code RS20930June 11, 2001House Leadership Structure: Overview ofParty OrganizationJudy SchneiderSpecialist on the CongressGovernment and Finance DivisionSummaryAt the beginning of each Congress, Members meet to organize and select theirleaders.  Democrats call their party organization the Democratic Caucus; Republicanscall their party organization the Republican Conference.  Within the caucus andconference are numerous entities that assist party leaders in determining the work androle of the Members of that party.  This report serves as a companion piece to RS 20499,House Leadership: Whip Organization, and RS20881, Party Leaders in the House.DemocratsDemocratic Caucus: The Democratic Caucus is the organizational vehicle for allDemocratic Members and staff.  It hosts periodic meetings and is the primary vehicle forcommunicating the party’s message.  A chair and vice-chair are elected by the  members.No member can serve as chair or vice-chair for more than two terms.Democratic Steering Committee: The Steering Committee is responsible for makingcommittee assignments.  It is chaired by the Democratic leader, who is assisted by a co-chair and three vice-chairs who are appointed by the Democratic leader. Committeemembers also include the caucus chair and vice-chair, assistant to the minority leader, thewhip and four deputy whips (one of whom also serves as a vice-chair), the chair of thecongressional campaign committee, 12 members elected from 12 regions, 16 membersappointed by the Democratic leader, the chair of the Democratic Caucus’s Committee onOrganization, Study, and Review (OSR), and the ranking members of the Appropriations,Budget, Energy and Commerce, Rules, and Ways and Means Committees.Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC): The campaign committeeis led by a chair appointed by the Democratic leader. The committee serves as the principalfund-raising arm of the House Democrats.CRS-2RepublicansRepublican Conference: The Republican Conference is the organizational vehicle for allRepublican Members and staff.  The conference hosts periodic meetings and is the primaryvehicle for communicating the party’s message.  The conference is led by a chair, vice-chair, and secretary, who are elected by the members.Republican Steering Committee: The Steering Committee is responsible for makingcommittee assignments.  It is chaired by the Speaker, who has five votes on the panel.  Themajority leader has two votes.  All other members have one vote.  The other committeemembers comprise the majority whip, chief deputy whip, conference chair, policycommittee chair, conference vice-chair and secretary, the chair of the campaign committee,and the chairs of the Appropriations, Rules, and Ways and Means Committees.Representatives are also elected from 10 geographic regions, an additional region madeup of  small states, and the 105th, 106th, and 107th classes.Republican Policy Committee: The policy committee is the Republican’s principal forumfor discussion of specific legislative initiatives, the enunciation of party priorities, and theresolution of House committees’ jurisdictional policy disputes.  A chairman, elected by theRepublican Conference, is part of a 46 member panel. The full membership includes, inaddition to the chair, the  Speaker, majority leader, majority whip, conference chair,conference vice-chair, conference secretary, campaign committee chair, leadershipchairman, a representative from each of the 105th, 106th, and 107th classes elected by theirclass and designated as part of conference leadership, five committee chairs(Appropriations, Budget, Energy and Commerce, Rules, and Ways and Means), 11regional and state representatives elected from their regions or states, three classrepresentatives elected from their class, and a maximum of 15 members appointed by theSpeaker.National Republican Congressional Committee: The campaign committee, led by anelected chair and a 28 member executive committee, serves as the  fund-raising arm of theHouse Republicans.

House Leadership Structure: Overview of Party Organization

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House Leadership Structure: Overview of Party Organization

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